1. Field of the Invention:
This invention pertains to a heat exchanger for extracting heat from enclosures such as those that house electronic controls for manufacturing machinery and lines, with the heat exchanger having improved cabinetry and component mounting which provides increased versatility and easier servicing, and to a method of servicing a heat exchanger.
2. The Prior Art:
Heat exchangers of this general type have a condenser coil, usually of the heat pipe type, and a pair of fans for moving air through the coil. The heat exchanger is utilized for cooling an electronics or electrical controls enclosure space such as those commonly seen on major machine tools; robots, activated assembly lines, process controls and the like. One of the fans draws air in a closed loop from the enclosure into the exchanger and through the coil to extract heat load from the enclosure. The second fan takes in ambient air and moves it through the coil and expels it to ambient. Heat is taken by the coil from enclosure air and transferred to ambient air and then expelled. The virtues of this type of heat exchanger for extending service life and increasing reliability of electronics is well known and accepted.
Several problems have not yet been solved. These heat exchangers are attitude sensitive and require peculiar and specific mounting arrangement and attitudes. They are very sensitive to accumulation of dust, grime, and the like that reduces air flow and/or direct and indirect heat transfer. The motors and fan blade have not been accessible for servicing. The exchangers have not provided for mounting and being positional either inside or outside of the enclosure. These exchangers have had problems with short circuiting of air flow, particularly in the enclosure. The heat exchanger coil elements have been exceeding difficult to access and clean and service. These exchangers have had to be manufactured in several discretely different and dedicated structures, even for the same given heat exchange capacity.
Heat exchangers of this type are very sensitive to dirt and need regular cleaning. Existing exchangers have failed to provide a structure or method for easy cleaning of all fans, motors and coils.